She looked up at Bette, hoping her expression hadn’t given her away.

Bette looked confused, “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“This might be a bad time, but we need to talk.”

***

Bette sat up and looked Gen in the eyes, not letting go of her hand. She felt her heart sink to her stomach, “What do you want to talk about?”

Gen slowly pulled her hand away from Bette and placed them on her lap, “I don’t think we should be doing this.”

Bette starred at Gen, speechless; it was hard to hold back the tears that were starting to bubble up from within her. How could she do this to me now, Bette thought to herself, after everything I have been through in the last few days. Part of her wanted to scream, yet a part of her looked at Gen and felt that she understood her decision.

Gen looked into Bette’s eyes, every memory they had shared together that brought them closer seemed to linger like an unspoken bridge between them, “Fact is that, I’m falling for you, Bette. Everything about you makes me go weak, but I can’t afford to be weak. I never want to see you hurt again, I want to protect you and I blame myself for what happened, I wish I had seen it earlier, that it was Adele. But I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I just was so caught up in…”

“Shh…” Bette whispered as she sat up to hug Gen.

Gen held onto her, feeling her warm skin through her thin hospital robe, “I love you, Bette, and I will always be here for you. I always want to be your friend, and your confidante. I want to protect you above everything else. But we just can’t do this, not right now.”

Bette moved back, both of their faces were covered with tears, “I understand,” she said, trying not to let her emotions show through her voice, “I guess it was just the wrong timing. Friends?” Bette extended her hand. Gen took her hand with both of hers, “Friends,” she echoed.

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